Railway stock car side door



RAILWAY STOCK CAR SIDE DOOR Filed Feb. 15, 1929 s sheets-sheet 1 lhveni o Garib fIzlor-nej I NOV. 17, 1931. 5 GILPIN RAILWAY STOCK CAR SIDE DOOR Filed Feb. 13, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 O fl 2 f 1 0 m z ea n F v r Mm 6 A Nov. 17, 1931. GlLPlN RAILWAY STOCK CAR SIDE noon Filed Feb. 13, 1929 3 Sheets-5heet 3 Inveniar: G'zri/p 637 01111 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE GARTH G. GILPIN, OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO RAILWAY METAL PRODUCTS ,1

COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE RAILWAY STOCK CAR SIDE DOOR Application filed February 13, 1929. Serial No. 339,610.

This invention relates to side doors for railway cars, and particularly to cars which are used for the transportation of live stock, called stock cars. The side walls of such cars comprise a plurality of spaced apart slats to provide ventilation and the side doors are similarly constructed for the same purpose. These doors need not be water-proof at their margins.

Dirt and other materials accumulate on the floor of these stock cars and form a cohesion with the door, making it very difficult to move the door to open position (longitudinally of the car) This is particularly so when these damp materials freeze. It is customary, therefore, to hang doors on stock cars so that the bottom part may be swung outwardly from the car before the door is moved sidewise into open position, thus breaking the cohesion. Such doors are supported from an upper track by a hanger (usually provided with a roller) which, therefore, is not only a hanger but is also a hinge to permit the door to be swung outwardly at its bottom portion. i

It has been found that a door supported by brackets (preferably with anti-friction rollers therein) positioned adjacent the-bottom of the door is easier to operate than a top hung door primarily because the door handle is then positioned nearer the points of support which practically eliminates the tipping tendency of the door in opening, which tipping causes it to bind.

The object of my invention is to hingedly attach or connect the upper part of a side door to a stock car and provide such door with a track adjacent its lower margin which rests upon brackets (preferably provided with anti-friction rollers) secured to the car body, which track is arranged and formed to permit the bottom of the door to be swung away from the car without disengaging the track from the brackets (or the rollers in the brackets) so that the door while in this position may be moved longitudinally of the car into open position.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a track with an inclinedtread the modifications and advantages of which are hereinafter described.

Another object is to provide means which restrict the swinging movement of the door inwardly or outwardly. It is desirable to restrict the inward movement of the door so that it will not engage or friction with the adjacent parts of the car body and it is desirable to restrict the outward swinging movement of the door so that it will not swing out too far and hit objects which the car 18 passing. Another object is to provide a lever to forcibly swing the door toward the car, which falls out of the way by gravity when not being used. The locking and sealing means also preferably are associated with such a device.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows an outside elevation of a stock car with my improved door thereon.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but shows the door swung outwardly.

Figs. 4 and'5 show modified constructions with an inclined tread on the track.

In the drawings the usual parts of the car are shown, such as side sill 1; flooring 2; floor support 3; side plate 4 and door posts 8 and side wall r In the preferred construction I provide a hood 6 secured to the car body above the door opening and therebeyond which is provided with an inwardly projecting shelf 7. The upper part of the door is provided with an outwa rdly projecting lip 8 overlying the shelf 7 on the hood. This lip may extend continuously for the width of the door or may consist of one or more clips. The guard 9 restricts the inward movement of the upper part of the door so as to retain the lip over the shelf. This construction provides a hinge to permit the bottom portion of the door to swing outwardly and also retains the door upon the car even though the usual door supporting" means at the bottom thereof is accidentally or temporarily removed.

The track 10 is secured to the lower edge of the door and comprises a laterally projecting tread 11 which, in the preferred form;

rests upon anti-friction rollers 12 positioned in brackets 13 which are secured to the side sill 1 or other part of the car body. This tread extends backwardly from the door, preferably under the threshold 14:, (formed by the extension of the flooring) so that as the door is swung outwardly the tread still rests upon the rollers. (See Fig. 3.)

I also prefer to provide a depending flange 16 on the track 10 at the rear edge of the tread which engages the brackets on their rollers to restrict the outward swinging movement of the door.

The track (or door) may be provided with adepending lip 1.8 or other projection so positioned as to engage the brackets on their rollers to restrict the inward swinging movement of the door. The lip 18 and flange 16 form an inverted channel.

One or more levers 20 are pivoted upon some of the brackets 13 (as shown) or upon any convenient part of the car body so as to engage the lower part of the door 21 (see Fig. 3) to forcibly move the door toward the car. When the door is closed the lever rests between two jaws 22 secured to the door through which the locking and sealingpin 23 extends. The oifset handle 24 is provided. so the operator can completely close the door.

Fig. 4: shows a modification wherein the tread 26 of the track 10 is inclined inwardly and upwardly toward the car so that the door naturally remains with its lower part away from the car. In this arrangement the operator when moving the door longitudinally of the car (into open or closed position) w1ll not have to hold the door away from the car, furthermore, this tendency to swing away from the car assists the operator in breaking the cohesion previously referred to.

Fig. 5 shows a modified construction wherein the tread 27 of the track 10 is inclined inwardly and downwardly so that the door will move by gravity toward the car when free to do so.

I have shown and described the door supporting brackets with anti-friction rollers. However, any convenient bracket with or without rollers may be used to perform the functions herein described.

When the door is swung inwardly into closed position the hasps 29 engage staples 30 on opposite sides of the door through wh ch the retaining pins 31 are placed and sealing means may be used in the pins if desirable.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway stock car, the combination of a door opening and a slidable door mounted upon the car hingedly connected at its upper edge to swing away from the car to permit material to be swept from the threshold without sliding the door toward open position, said door provided with a clownwardly and inwardly inclined relatively wide track secured to its lower edge which projects backwardly from the door and is provided with a depending flange adjacent its rear part, a plurality of brackets secured to the car having an upwardly projecting element which engages the flange and restricts the outward swinging movement of the door.

2. In a railway stock car, the combination of a door opening and a slidable door mounted upon the car hingedly supported at its upper edge to swing away from the car to permit material to be swept from the threshold without sliding the door along the track, said door provided with relatively wide track secured to its lower edge which projects backwardly from the door and is provided with a depending flange adjacent its rear part, a plurality of brackets secured to the car each having a roller mounted therein upon which the track runs and which engages the flange and restricts the outward swinging movement of the door, and means engaging said rollers to restrict the inwardly swinging movement of the door.

3. In a railway stock car, the combina tion of a door opening and a slidable door mounted upon the car hingedly supported at its upper edge to swing away from the car to permit material to be swept from the threshold without sliding the door along the track. said door provided with relatively wide track secured to its lower edge which, projects backwardly from the door and is' provided with a depending flange adjacent its rear part. a plurality of brackets secured to the car each having a rollermounted therein upon whi h the track runs. and which engages the flange and engages the rollers so as to restrict the outward swinging movement of the door. and a stop forming a part of the door structure which restricts the inwardlv swin ing movement of the door.

4. In a railway stock car. the combination of a door opening and a slidable door mounted upon the car hingedly supported at its upper edge to swing away from the car to permit material to be swept from the r threshold without sliding the door along the track. said door provided with relatively wide track secured to its lower edge which projects backwardly from the door and provided with a depending flange adjacent its rear part, a plurality of brackets secured to the car having an upwardly projecting element which engages the flange and restricts the outward swinging movement of the door, and a lever pivoted upon the car "I it) I la body so as to engage the lower part of the door to forcibly move the door toward the car.

5. In a railway car, the combination of a side wall, spaced apart door posts projecting outwardly from said wall, a door opening between said posts, a slidable door hingedly connected at its upper margin, a track secured to the lower margin of the door, and rollers mounted upon the car upon which the track runs, said track projecting backwardly from the door between the door posts When in closed position whereby the door cannot be opened until it is swung beyond the outer parts of the door posts.

6. In a railway car, the combination of a side wall, spaced apart door posts projecting outwardly from said wall, a door opening between said posts, flooring extending beyond the side wall to substantially the outer parts of the posts, a slidable door hingedly connected at its upper margin, a track secured to the lower margin of the door, and rollers mounted upon the car upon which the track runs, said track projecting backwardly from the door under the flooring and between the door posts when in closed position whereby the door cannot be opened until it is swung beyond the outer parts of the door posts.

7. In a railway car, the combination of a side wall, spaced apart do'or posts projecting outwardly from said wall, a door opening between said posts, a slidable door for said opening, a track secured to the lower margin of the door, and rollers mounted upon the car upon which the track runs, said track projecting backwardly from the door between the door posts when in closed position whereby the door cannot be opened until it is swung beyond the outer parts of the door posts.

8. In a railway car, the combination of a side wall, spaced apart door posts projecting outwardly from said wall, a door opening between said posts, flooring extending beyond the side wall to substantially the outer parts of the posts, a slidable door for said opening. a track secured to the lower margin of the door, and rollers mounted upon the car upon which the track runs, said track projecting backwardly from the door under the flooring and between the door posts when in closed position whereby the door cannot be opened until it is swung beyond the outer parts. of the door posts.

9. In a railway car, the combination of a door opening, a slidable door, a plurality of brackets mounted upon the car, a track secured to the lower portion of the door having a relatively wide tread slidably supported by said brackets, and a dependingportion on each side of the tread forming an inverted channel to restrict the lateral movement of the door in either direction whereby the door may be moved away from the car to be swept from the door opening without sliding the door along the brackets, said tread being downwardly and inwardly inclined causing the door to move by gravity toward the car body, and means to retain the tread in slidable engagement with the brackets.

11. In a railway car, the combination of a door opening, a slidable door, a plurality of brackets mounted upon the car, a track secured to the lower portion of the door having a relatively wide tread slidably supported by said brackets whereby the door may be moved away from the car to permit material to be swept from the door opening without sliding the door along the brackets, said tread being downwardly and outwardly inclined causing the door to move by gravity awayfrom the car body, and means to retain the tread in slidable engagement with the brackets.

GARTH G. GHJPIN. 

